Monday, January 30, 2012

Anyone who knows me will be quick to tell you that I can’t
cook worth a lick (Literally…one lick is all it takes). My cooking repertoire
includes meatloaf, spaghetti, aaaand a few pasta dishes that I call “fancy”
because the recipe calls for fresh herbs. Canned veggies, boxed potatoes, and
microwavable sides are staples in our household. It is for this reason that I
have challenged myself to cook outside the box (I swear, these puns…they just
come to me!).

I did not cook this beautiful meatloaf. http://www.cookinglight.com/food/recipe-finder/meat-loaf-00400000001189/

This will be an ongoing challenge with updates and lots of
pictures. I plan to commission my husband and perhaps a few daring friends or
family members (now taking volunteers!). Perhaps it’s time to invest in some
flame retardant gear, or at the very least, a fire extinguisher. I have a
history of setting things on fire. Like popcorn. That I may or may not have
tried to cook for 30 minutes instead of 3. Ahem. Moving on.

3. Doing the dishes sucks. And when you make fresh food you
use tons of dishes. And then hubby and I argue for a week about whose turn it
is to do them. By then we have grown a whole new type of food.

Now that I have all of you hot mamas backing me up, I just
know I can do it! I have been pinning all sorts of fascinating recipes on
Pinterest, and it is about time I suck it up and try them out. Is anyone else
frightened by cooking? It has to be one of those irrational fears like being
scared of Triscuits or the number 13. Cantacookatallaphobia (That’s the Italian
version).

Here’s the challenge: I will cook one healthy and fresh meal
a week. Most of the items must be locally grown, sold, and fresh. I already try
to make the items I buy organic, so this is a given. I will post photos and
recipes along with meal anecdotes. Because there are sure to be anecdotes.

Here’s my challenge to you, hot mamas. Check out my
Pinterest board “What’s for dinner?” and find a recipe you would like me to
try. Post it in the comments, and if it fits my challenge criteria, I will try
it out! It would be so lovely if you tried it out, too! That way we can compare
our experiences.

Confession time, mamas. When my little man turned around 3 ½
months old, I began experiencing postpartum hair loss. I’m sure many of you
have heard of or experienced the same thing, and can identify with the flood of
emotions that accompany it. Oh, I’d heard of it and was prepared for it to
happen, but does anything really prepare
you to deal with pulling clumps of your own hair out in the shower?

Day after day, I tried and failed to style my ever thinning
hair. Eventually, I began to resort to ponytails and “THE CLAW”, which I had
previously vowed never to wear in public (along with banana clips, scrunchies,
and butterfly clips). The final straw was a haircut that I later deemed
devastating: 5 inches of my beautiful red hair, GONE. I felt shorn and bald and
hideous.

Now, I don’t need a face full of makeup or a fresh from the
salon blowout to feel beautiful, but I do take pride in my appearance. Whether
we want to admit it or not, we live in a very visual society and there are
daily opportunities that arise from taking care of ourselves. I thought that
losing my hair meant I no longer had any reason to do so. My skincare regimen
went downhill, quickly followed by my makeup routine, and then of course it was
a matter of time before I busted out the sweats, pizza, and chocolate. What a
slippery slope! And what a pity party I was throwing for myself.

It’s a bit embarrassing to admit how something that seems so
trivial undid me so completely. Speaking with other hot mamas about their
postpartum woes finally made me realize how fast our little ones grow and how
quickly time flies. This hair loss is just a passing phase, and I will always
have my son. While I am still parting (haha) with my hair, the amount lost has
lessened, and I’ve got new growth. These tiny little baby hairs that are
growing just as fast as my son. Hope!

I’m back on track, and feeling better than ever. You know,
it cracks me up when I watch What Not to Wear. Some of the participants have this wild notion that dressing well and
taking care of themselves is this time consuming process that takes away from
their personality and/or intelligence. This could not be further from the
truth! There’s nothing more attractive than a person who has the full
package: confidence, intelligence, and an outer beauty that reflects your inner
beauty.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

I don’t know about you, but my pregnancy was rough. I felt
sick, lonely, and more like the hunchback of Notre Dame than the glowing
pregnant princess I thought I should be. I ached, I puked, I ate, and I peed… a
lot. None of which is glamorous or enjoyable, only lackluster.

Once my beautiful son arrived, my days consisted of taking
care of HIS needs, and his needs alone. Everything I wore had to be loose, and
even after I ditched the baby weight, clothes still had to be accessible so I
could feed my son (who already eats like a teenage boy). Once THAT was
accomplished, the outfit donned would then be covered by spit up, pee, poo,
slobber…perhaps a stray booger here and there…mamas, do ya feel me?!

I never, in a million years, thought it would be so EASY to
let myself go. No one told me how EASY it is to throw in the burp cloth and sic
my style savvy on my child. Little by little my self-esteem began to dwindle
and, even when I had time, I stopped trying to take care of myself. I think
this is fairly common with first time mamas. Truth be told, that’s a great
thing. AT FIRST. Mamas need that time to adjust to the new babe, their new
life, and the new relationship with their partners, family, and friends.
HOWEVER, this should NOT become a forever phase.

There are times when you should absolutely pay more
attention to the situation at hand than yourself. For example:

1. The first three months after baby

2. When you are the caretaker of a sick person or loved one

3. When you are the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, orrrr maybe a
nun

No offense to nuns. I don’t personally know any… but God
loves you no matter what.

I digress.

What did I do? I got sick of my husband coming home to me in
pajamas. I got sick of looking at myself in pajamas. And mostly, I don’t have a
lot of pajamas so I had to do more laundry. That’s kind of a secret. Has anyone
seen that movie “What About Bob?” with Bill Murray? Classic! This therapist
works with a particularly crazy patient and his recommendation is to take baby
steps. It’s a recurring theme in the movie, and now my LIFE. Pretty fitting,
huh? Baby steps?! HA.

Here are some baby steps YOU can take:

1. Drink more water. Don’t worry if it is not the 800 ounces
you are supposed to drink. Step it up by one or two more glasses than you
normally drink. Your skin won’t look as tired as you may feel.

2. Put on jeans instead of jammies. Takes the same amount of
time to slip on AND you can wear them more times. (NOTE: No mom jeans, hot
mamas! This means dark jeans with a medium rise. If you need to, ask a
salesperson which fit would look best for your body type.) Take an extra baby
step and don flats instead of slippers.

3. MASCARA. Even if you’re dead tired and it looks like you
have black eyes, mascara will liven your eyes. An alternative: a few hits of
the eyelash curler will do you wonders.

4. Invest in dry shampoo and cute headbands. Dry shampoo
adds volume and takes away any greasiness you may have from not being able to
shower. You can use baby powder sparingly, but be warned: Too much and it looks
like you’re going gray, or you have MAJOR dandruff! Headbands spruce up
ponytails and messy buns, too.

5. Tidy ONE room in your house. My son and I spend most of
our day in the living room, so I make that room my priority. It’s for my
sanity, really. And for visitors. They have no clue the rest of the house is in
shambles. Unless I do that hostess apology thing where I say, “The rest of the
house is in shambles!”

6. Do what you need to do… in moderation. When you’re
pregnant, well meaning people tell you to sleep when the baby sleeps. HA! If
you’re like me and cannot fall asleep instantly, it is fine to catch up on some
chores. But pick ONE. Don’t try to cook, clean, pay bills, do laundry AND catch
up on the latest bestseller while your kiddo is napping. Just. Pick. ONE. And
if I were you, I’d pick reading.

These are the basics and will get us mamas back to a higher
level of hotness. Are there any baby steps that you take on a daily basis?
Please share with your fellow hot mamas, and come back soon!

Friday, January 27, 2012

Why helllooo, ladies! I am a first time mama with an adorable son and a serious bone to pick with my fellow mamas. Honey, just because you created a miracle with your body does not mean you now have to neglect it! My son and my husband are super high on my priority list (of course). However...part of keeping myself happy is making sure I feel happy.

My hope for this blog is that I will reach at least ONE mama, and help her learn to love herself and convince her to spend more time on her inner and outer beauty. I find that even something as simple as putting on jeans & a tee rather than jammies and sweatshirt boost my self-love!

I will be posting at least once a week, and will cover any and all topics. So please, join me as I share my mama secrets, and PLEASE share your own (we hot mamas have to stick together!).

Saturday, January 21, 2012

My brother and I have a shared passion for music. I used to sing it & he plays it so well on his fiddle. When we were younger, we would take turns finding and paying for concert tickets, and in this way we came to adore Modest Mouse. Something about their music just grabs us, and while it may not be the most technically correct or interesting or even GOOD, we have a shared history, and that's what makes us love it. Dramamine is my all time favorite song of theirs. Bonus? Trippy music video that is all at once extremely weird and oddly captivating. Far out.

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About me

Hey, ladies! I'm just another mama, trying to make her way in the world. I hope to open an honest and supportive dialogue about the trials and tribulations of us hot mamas these days. Take some time for yourself today! Love y'all!